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Season 1 – Samurai Champloo

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Samurai Champloo May 2005 History Drama Action Adventure Anime Play Trailer Watchlist
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89% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Mugen is a fierce animal-like warrior with a unique fighting style. Jin has a more traditional style and the two samurai warriors are far from friends, yet their separate paths seem to cross anyway. Mugen is wandering aimlessly through the city when he stumbles upon a teahouse where he meets Jin and Fuu. Fuu convinces them both to come with her in search of a mysterious samurai that smells like sunflowers.
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Samurai Champloo — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Tasha Robinson Sci-Fi Weekly 02/21/2019
A
The battles are so breathtaking that fans may get impatient when the characters waste time arguing. So far, the series' plots haven't been terribly exciting, but the visual execution is terrific. Go to Full Review Charles Solomon NPR 10/30/2018
Its edgy mixture of martial arts combat and hip hop irreverence is quirky, fast-paced, violent and thoroughly entertaining. Go to Full Review Mikkel Snyder Black Nerd Problems 03/01/2024
The character work, the worldbuilding, the painstaking attention to making sure all of the components are working together in perfect synergy to immerse the watcher, it’s something worth experiencing and re-experiencing. Go to Full Review Eric Vilas-Boas Paste Magazine 02/22/2019
Champloo's story, detailing how a ragtag trio searches for "samurai who smells of sunflowers," is fine and dandy. Watanabe's direction is brilliant. Its duels and characters are beautifully animated. But Champloo's music is scary good. Go to Full Review Andrew Dilks What Culture 10/30/2018
Samurai Champloo's fusion of martial arts action, traditional Japanese codes of honour and a wonderful hip hop soundtrack makes this a true classic. Go to Full Review Candice Horde TV Fanatic 10/30/2018
The series knew exactly when to stop and maintained the integrity of the story rather than the option to get more cash by extending it over multiple seasons. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Adam @idfc.bear Dec 15 Samurai road trip with hip-hop style, funny, and sad underneath. See more Ryan H. @RyGuy Jul 16 A nostalgic masterpiece made by the great Watanabe! An intriguing story with beautiful animation. I love how you can see the sword’s movements in every battle! See more Smiling D Jul 8 This packed with many characters and tragedies that mixes in humor. Each episode offers new scenery and challenges. I like the honest bluntness of the writer. The voice actors and director do not disappoint. Ech main character and supporting rolls are given great dialog and their voices match the scene and mood. The fact that I could watch any episode again and enjoy is a testimony to a good anime series. The artistry is wonderful as well. Love the water scenes and fish swimming. A lot can be said for keeping with the time periods details in clothes and housing. See more Antonio S 03/11/2023 This anime is part of that select group of what the best anime can offer. Nostalgic, great fights and amazing soundtracks the story develops brilliantly to a terrific end . Deff worth watching. See more Resistakill 01/27/2023 Have you ever watched a show so many times, you can quote every line? I haven't watched it that many times (like Sword Art Online). However, I have probably watched Samurai Champloo AT LEAST 10 times. You'll enjoy every minute of it. It stings that I am having trouble making further review... See more Regal R 10/12/2022 100/100 - Fantastic story. I have watched and rewatched this many times. Amazing everything, from character development to the voice actors, choreography, cinematography. Watch this. Nuff said. See more Read all reviews
Samurai Champloo — Season 1

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Shinichirô Watanabe

Creator

Wendee Lee

Hotaru

Barbara Goodson

Ogin

Kari Wahlgren

Voice

Doug Stone

Guest Voice

Darrel Guilbeau

Sousuke Kawara

Episodes

Episode 1 Aired May 14, 2005 Tempestuous Temperaments Fuu, a part-time teahouse worker's life changes forever when two vagabond warriors, Mugen and Jin, stumble into her place of business and end up in hot water with the local magistrate. Details Episode 2 Aired May 21, 2005 Redeye Reprisal Due to an error, the struggle between the two groups intensifies. Details Episode 3 Aired May 28, 2005 Hellhounds for Hire Mugen, Jin and Fuu must earn money for ferry fare. Details Episode 4 Aired Jun 4, 2005 Hellhounds for Hire Mugen, Jin and Fuu intend to search for the "Sunflower Samurai." Details Episode 5 Aired Jun 10, 2005 Artistic Anarchy The trio searches for their wallets. Details Episode 6 Aired Jun 18, 2005 Stranger Searching Mugen and Jin lose their weapons in a rice-eating contest; they pose as tour guides for a mysterious European with a penchant for man love in order to get their weapons back. Details Episode 7 Aired Jun 25, 2005 A Risky Racket Fuu falls for a prolific pickpocket with a heart of gold, but when her sticky-fingered friend slips his hands into the wrong pocket, he's headed for a beat down. Details Episode 8 Aired Jul 2, 2005 The Art of Altercation A self-proclaimed shogun hunts Jin. Details Episode 9 Aired Jul 9, 2005 Beatbox Bandits When Mugen and the others get arrested, they are given a task to escape punishment. Details Episode 10 Aired Jul 16, 2005 Lethal Lunacy A new sword is being tested on the samurai. Details Episode 11 Aired Jul 23, 2005 Gamblers and Gallantry Mugen, Fuu and Jin must find part-time work to pay for accomodations. Details Episode 12 Aired Jul 30, 2005 The Disorder Diaries Fuu, Mugen and Jin can afford to stay at the inn. Details Episode 13 Aired Jun 29, 2009 Misguided Miscreants, Pt. 1 Mugen and the other two end up at the ocean, where Mugen bumps into a girl who happened to be a childhood friend of his named Koza. Additionally, a man Mugen knew appears upon that scene named Mukuro, who is now a leader of a gang of pirates. Details Episode 14 Aired Nov 26, 2005 Misguided Miscreants Mugen flashes back to his life before he died for the first time; a pretty young thing convinces Jin to brandish his blades in the name of vengeance. Details Episode 15 Aired Dec 3, 2005 Bogus Booty Mugen, Jin and Fuu discover a strange bag while fishing. Details Episode 16 Aired Dec 10, 2005 Lullabies of the Lost After an argument, the three friends decide to go their separate ways. Details Episode 17 Aired Dec 17, 2005 Lullabies of the Lost Mugen has been mistaken for another. Details Episode 18 Aired Jan 11, 2006 War of the Words Mugen pursues studies; Jin visits a rundown dojo. Details Episode 19 Aired Jan 18, 2006 Unholy Union Fuu encounters a woman in a shack; Mugen and Jin encounter a Christian hunt. Details Episode 20 Aired Jan 25, 2006 Elegy of Entrapment, Verse 1 Mugen, Fuu and Jin befriend a traveling entertainer. Details Episode 21 Aired Feb 1, 2006 Elegy of Entrapment, Verse 2 Sara wants Mugen or Jin to accompany her. Details Episode 22 Aired Feb 8, 2006 The Cosmic Collisions Jin, Mugen and Fuu fall into the grasp of a hoard of zombie treasure hunters. Details Episode 23 Aired Feb 15, 2006 Baseball Blues Mugen's talent for baseball lands him, Jim and Fuu in a game. Details Episode 24 Aired Feb 22, 2006 Evanescent Encounter Mugen, Jin and Fuu reflect on their journey. Details Episode 25 Aired Mar 1, 2006 Evanescent Encounter Mugen, Jin and Fuu reflect on their journey. Details Episode 26 Aired Mar 8, 2006 Evanescent Encounter Mugen, Jin and Fuu reflect on their journey. Details

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Samurai Champloo — Season 1

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Season Info

Director
Mamoru Hosoda, Shinichirô Watanabe, Shintaro Inokawa, Hirotaka Endo, Masato Miyoshi, Sayo Yamamoto
Creator
Shinichirô Watanabe
Executive Producer
Shiro Sasaki, Sasaki Shirou
Screenwriter
Shinji Obara, Shinichirô Watanabe, Dai Sato
Network
Cartoon Network
Rating
TV-14
Genre
History, Drama, Action, Adventure, Anime
Original Language
Japanese
Release Date
May 14, 2005